


Can I touch you?

by Schreibmaschine



Series: Archive for my tumblr prompts [10]
Category: Assassin's Creed - All Media Types, Prototype (Video Games)
Genre: Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-25
Updated: 2020-10-25
Packaged: 2021-03-08 22:01:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,132
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27133547
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Schreibmaschine/pseuds/Schreibmaschine
Summary: Desmond was glad to know the virus was their ally. But he worries for Alex, who never shows up at the hideout and insists on meeting on neutral ground.
Relationships: (background), Alex Mercer/Desmond Miles, Rebecca Crane/Dana Mercer
Series: Archive for my tumblr prompts [10]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1954156
Comments: 14
Kudos: 54





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This was published on my tumblr @fandom-necromancer!

‘You do know it’s quite unfair, right?’ Desmond gasped for air after walking up the stairs to the rooftop of the skyscraper. The lift had only taken him so far and the remaining floors he had to take on foot. Alex on the other hand had simply catapulted his way up and walked the rest of the vertical building-wall. The guy didn’t even sweat. If a virus could do that. ‘You know you could always meet me at the hideout.’  
‘I would be recognised.’  
‘Aw come on, can’t be that difficult for you: mimic one of our people and you’re in.’  
‘Oh, yes, of course!’ Alex stood up from the edge and glared at Desmond, sarcasm thick in his voice. ‘I didn’t expect you to be so eager for me to murder one of your friends.’  
‘Jesus, man, I didn’t mean your whole shape-shifty thing. I meant put on some white hood, pretend you are someone from another nest and in you go.’  
‘It’s surprising you weren’t taken over by the templars by now.’ The harshness stayed in his face and Desmond started to realise the misunderstanding had hurt him more than he thought. He knew the virus was sensible when it came to his identity and careless comments about him having it easier than others could easily tip him over the edge. Desmond knew about the turmoil inside of his mind, all the voices screaming inside of people he had killed. Consumed. Whatever. He should have known better.

‘Hey, can I touch you?’  
‘What?’ Desmond knew he was on the narrow ledge between anger and curiosity.  
‘I mean, would your… body attack me at contact?’ _Don’t say virus. Don’t say you. Alex wouldn’t hurt me, would he?  
_‘No. I control it.’ Desmond knew what he was about to do was foolish.  
_Please don’t kill me,_ he pleaded, as he cleared the space between them and wrapped his arms around the other’s narrow form. He felt the fluidity under it, as of snakes twirling under the skin, before it hardened to kind of normal feeling. A defence mechanism?  
‘What… are you doing?’ The words were lost to any emotion.  
‘I’m hugging you, dumbass. Looked like you needed it.’  
‘I… don’t.’ Desmond felt Alex’ arms tense as he was about to shove him away. Gentle for him maybe, but he knew the virus couldn’t always control his strength.  
‘Shut it!’ Desmond held on harder, hoping he was doing the right thing. ‘You don’t have to live in isolation, okay? Dana likes staying with us. Maybe you would too if you tested it out.’  
‘Dana is human. And she has taking a liking to your technician, Rebecca, was it?’  
‘Being human has nothing to do with it. God, I share more DNA with the Iso than I do with humans at this point. And I have memories for three lifetimes. You…’ He let go of the virus. Maybe this really was something the other didn’t wish for. Maybe he really wanted to stay away from the Assassins. From people in general. From him.  
‘I just wanted to say you are always welcome, okay? You can stay with us if you want.’

There was a long pause. Desmond had taken particular interest in a little stone lying on the ground.  
‘I will consider it, Desmond.’ He looked up and saw the man drop his shoulders and human form with it. There definitely was curiosity under the defeated look.  
‘Let’s just get this briefing over with.’


	2. Part 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was prompted by Kira_Katashi!

Alex sat on top of a destroyed skyscraper, hidden behind the shattered beams and broken flooring. He simply waited there while watching humanity rebuild what was previously known as the Red Zone. Lower Manhattan was still largely a wasteland. In the distance he could see cranes and scaffolding rebuild tower after tower. Who knew, maybe in a few years’ time, everything would be back to normal and the next generation would have already forgotten how narrowly humanity had evaded extinction. It wasn’t without a sense of disbelief when he reminded himself that back then there had actually been two threats, and no one knew about either. Well, the viral outbreak could hardly be hidden away, but had Alex not run into Desmond at Abstergo, he had never known of the solar flare and a conflict between opposing forces that had existed through all times. What else was there he didn’t know about, he asked himself some days. He sighed. He guessed it didn’t have to bother him anymore. His only concern was to eradicate the remaining nests in New York that sporadically popped up. He had to make sure he was the last remaining piece of Blacklight in the world.

Other than that, the only thing for him to do was wait until the assassins needed him as a weapon. He didn’t know how it had first happened, but ever since rescuing Desmond from Abstergo out of mutual gain, they considered him an ally to their course. For now, he hadn’t tried to change that. Once humanity had reconquered the Red Zone, there was nowhere left to go for him. He wasn’t human anymore and with Blackwatch being able to discover any and all particles of Blacklight with their scans he basically had a large target on his back once Lower Manhattan had been cleared. Maybe in the end, he would have to side with the assassins if only for the reason they would take him in and hide him from the world. If it wasn’t just a plot to get a sample from him to infect a fellow assassin and transform them to have a weapon that was truly loyal to their course.

But Desmond had been serious with his offer, right? The man had seemed like he was honest with what he said at least. If he was to believe what he had heard, Desmond wasn’t truly human himself anymore and with having relived the memories of his ancestors, maybe they were more similar than Alex dared to think. Also, it wasn’t as if he could be contained if he really didn’t want to be there. Even Bloodtox would only slow him down at this point.  
Well, he had time until there was real urgency in the decision, but Alex would rather get it over with while there was still a plan-b for him and the assassins remembered he had saved one of their most valued members.

He was so lost in his thoughts that he nearly missed the phone call. He had only two contacts, Dana and Desmond and he had a feeling it would be the latter this time.  
He was right: ‘Hey, Alex, there is another briefing scheduled in an hour. Err… Just tell me where I can find you afterwards, so I can keep you updated.’  
Alex thought about it for a moment and then cut the line without answering. An hour? He could make it. If only to test the waters with his presumed allies and spare Desmond the way over through a partially infected district.

He climbed to the floor above him and jumped out of the hole in the wall, gliding over to the next building. As he continued his way towards the river, he was thinking about what Desmond had suggested. He could try making his way in with a disguise, but would that really solve anything? In the end, he decided to leave the deserted stores alone and simply head over to their hideout. He scaled the last building and used the height to soar over the East River until he hit Williamsburg Bridge and travelled along its side. From there on he travelled by foot using small streets and staying away from the gates on the larger ones checking those that wanted to leave the district for any sign of the virus. Used to the speed he normally travelled at in the Red Zone, it was agonising walking through the streets slow enough not to raise suspicion. As he finally arrived at the hideout, a building made from simple bricks in an industrial area, he was already late. He walked towards the entrance, noting, but not reacting to a person standing leaned against the wall smoking a cigarette. The human on the other hand stepped into his way. ‘Wait. Who are you?’  
Mercer looked the man up and down. His first instinct was to consume, but that would likely lessen his chances with the assassins, so he accepted the delay begrudgingly. ‘I’m expected.’  
‘I still need your name.’  
The virus sighed. ‘My name is Mercer. A… friend of Desmond and your brothers used me often enough as their weapon to justify me attending the briefings, does it not?’ He enjoyed seeing the instinctive flinch the man couldn’t quite stifle.  
‘The virus?’  
‘You want evidence?’ He couldn’t help his biomass shifting in anger at the unwanted delay. ‘Or will you let me in now?’

Apparently, the man was clever enough not to take him up on that offer and opened the door, leading him through the building to the meeting room. Then he left him alone. Mercer decided to make his first impression count and opened the doors without knocking or further notice, interrupting the meeting and immediately gathering all the attention in the room. He let his eyes fly over the different persons and relaxed a bit as he saw Desmond. He was surprised as the man pulled an empty chair back for him and quickly made his way over.  
As soon as he had sat down, the meeting continued as if nothing had happened and the few glances his way stopped after a while.

‘I’m glad you came’, Desmond whispered, leaning over a bit. ‘Although you won’t gain points with my dad by being late.’  
‘I don’t really care for that’, Alex grumbled.  
‘Well, you have mine, then.’ Desmond grinned at him, before he returned his attention back to the briefing.  
‘Desmond, how’s the team with the new network?’  
‘Dana’s making progress’, the man answered. Alex perked up at the mention of his sister. He didn’t actually know what she was doing here. ‘We planned on getting the bugs positioned in the city by the end of the week.’  
‘Mercer, how’s the situation in Manhattan?’  
Alex looked up, not quite expected to be asked yet. ‘Err… The hum- the people of New York have begun rebuilding. I’m keeping an eye on the infected and at the moment there are no nests that survived my last hunt.’  
‘Good. How difficult would it be to infiltrate the working crew to bug their systems during construction.’  
‘Quite easy. They take everyone who is brave enough to go into the Red Zone. Most of the workers don’t know each other.’  
‘Alright. Desmond and Mercer, as soon as those bugs are ready, it’s your job to distribute them.’  
‘Understood’, Desmond answered, leaning back.  
The rest of the briefing went on without Mercer being addressed at any time. Still, he was impressed with how little his presence was questioned. Sure, a few people stared, but that was expected.

‘Ahh, so that’s over with!’, Desmond sighed as he went outside, stretching. ‘I hate these briefings…’  
‘Couldn’t say I enjoyed it, either’, Alex nodded. ‘At least your people didn’t seem too bothered with a mass murder in their rows.’  
‘Too be honest, I did some cultivation of your image here… It was only me, Shaun and Rebecca against Abstergo for a long time. With me being the one destined to saving the world and you being the person who saved me, I think they have to at least pretend to like you. Also, Dana already did great work, so you joining isn’t too sudden for them. But come on, I’ll show you your room!’  
‘My… room?’  
‘Sure. You… You are staying right? I mean, why else the sudden change with the briefings?’  
Alex still looked sceptical and Desmond continued: ‘We kept you a room vacant that’s far from the others’. I know you like it secluded.’  
‘I… do.’

Desmond led him through the building past a gym and weapons range as well as sleeping quarters, up two flights of stairs until they were standing under the roof. It was a narrow chamber with a bed, a desk and its own bathroom. Not that Alex needed anything of that, but it was a nice touch.  
‘You can use this room, if you want. If you want to stay.’  
Alex stood there and contemplated. It sure beat his draughty shelter in the collapsed skyscraper. Maybe he would test it out for a while and go back when it didn’t feel right.  
Slowly he nodded. ‘It will take time adapting to it, but I will try.’

Desmond smiled at him and patted his shoulder companionable.  
‘Then welcome home.’   
  


**Author's Note:**

> You can prompt a story like this yourself if you want! Just head over to my tumblr @fandom-necromancer, message me on twitter @Schreibmachin4 or contact me in any way!


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